Helicopter flight simulation and pilot training device



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United States PatentO HELICOPTER FLIGHT SIMULATION AND PILOT TRAININGDEVICE Luis De Florez, Pomfret, Conn., Edwin K. Smith, Jr.,

Tarrytown, N.Y., and Clarence P. Andrade, Jr., Lumberville, Pa.,assignors, by mesne assignments, to Bell Aerospace Corporation FiledSept. 30, 1955, Ser. No. 537,700

22 Claims. (Cl. 35-12) This invention relates to aviator trainers, andmore particularly to grounded helicopter pilot training apparatus. Theinvention contemplates means for accurately simulating helicopter ilightconditions in association with a grounded helicopter pilots compartment,and a control organization so arranged as to provide to the studentpilot visual simulations of the aircraft response to manipulations ofthecontrol devices consistent with typical with in connection with xed wingaircraft operations,

that accurate recognition and analysis of the problems is complicatedand diflicult as to preclude the possibility of accurate artificialduplication thereof. For example, when considering stabilization andmaneuvering of helicopter flight in the longitudinal mode, it isappreciated that the pilot readily visualizes pitching velocities anddisplacements, as well as translational velocities and displacements.However, these quantities are perceived in a number of ways, such as bythe apparent size of scenery objects and the rate of change of theirsize; perspective and its changes; binocular distance perception; and bypure movements in the visional sense. Accordingly, instead of selectinganalogs for any of these values according to some rationalapproximations of relative importance, it would obviously be moreeffective to accurately synthesize the entire visual situation.

Furthermore, the necessity of learning the meaning of arbitrary forms ofinformation and unlearning incorrect forms at later date would beeliminated by training with a mechanism providing faithful visualsimulation; and obviously, the psychological need of realism incidentalto any training program is best served by means giving visualcompleteness and accuracy. The helicopter pilot training problemcharacteristically dilers from the ixed wing pilot problem, especiallyin the eld of hovering and low speed flight operations. In the case ofhelicopter flight maneuvers body accelerations are normally below humansensing thresholds, and other non-visual effects incidental tohelicopter pilot operations are fortunately susceptible to relativelyeasy simulation.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a helicopterpilot trainer apparatus achieving proper visual situation synthesis.Otherwise stated, it is a primary object of the invention to provide atrainer mechanism comprising a helicopter cabin or cockpit in which aremounted the controls and instruments necessary for hovering and Hight,as well asV indications of wind gusts and cabin vibrations.V Motions ofthe various controls are detected and sent to an analog computer whichconverts control movement information into electrical commands to theprojector servo systems. These commands result in scenery movementssimulating that experienced in a helicopter when excited with identi-fcal control movements and wind conditions.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a practical yethighly effective point light source type visual display mechanism suchas will project an accurate' and realistic terrain simulation to theview of the student pilot, in association with a control system wherebyAthe effects of control manipulations as well as external flightlinfluence factors are accurately portrayed and perceptible to thestudent pilot. r

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus as aforesaidwhereby helicopter pilots may be properly trained in shorter time andrelatively inexpensively compared to prior methods.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thespecification hereinafter.

The invention contemplates, generally, employment o a point light sourcevisual display technique in such a manner as to form a true perspectiveimage of a typical terrain, according to any aspect from which the saidterrain may be viewed. Hence, the image should preferably be in truecolor, and should extend throughout the normal area of central andperipheral vision of the student pilot; and of course should berealistic enough. in appearance to be convincing. The apparatus of theinvention operates on the principle that light emanating from a tiny,intense source of light traveling through a lield of object miniaturesand/or a transparency upon which are printed or otherwise appliedopaque, translucent, and/or transparent object miniatures, will castshadows and images of those miniatures upon a screen surface. Images ofthe projected objects may thus be viewed to possess appropriate size,shape, perspective, and hence three-dimensional psychological illusions.

Ideally, the eye of the observer would be locatedv at a positioncoinciding with the position of the light source, so that the imageswould be totally undistorted. However, because for practical reasons thestudent pilots eyes may only be disposed close to but not precisely atthe position of the light source, either the image-receiving screen orthe transparency should be modified in shape so as to reduce thedistortion to acceptable degree. Obviously, the desideratum is toprovide the image projections on the screen in such color, size,perspective relationships, and naturalness of motion, as to `render thescreen inconspicuous and to cause the student pilot to feel that he ismoving relative to the terrain rather than that a picture of the terrainis moving about his stationary position. Accomplishment of the above setforth objectives has been obtained by means of an apparatus asillustrated in the accompanying drawings, which of course representsonly one exempliiication of the invention, an wherein; Fig. 1 is apartially perspective Iand partially schematic Pai-rented Nov. 29, Y19603 n View of an apparatus embodying the invention and employing a horizonand sky projector; a main terrain or hovering projector; and anoptionally usuable autorotative landing terrain projector;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational schematic view illustrating principles ofthe projection system;

lFig. 3 is a corresponding top plan schematic view;

Fig. 4 is a perspective schematic view of the projection transparencyand light source mounting and adjustment arrangement;

' Fig. 5 is ahorizontal sectional View through a typical light source asreferred to in Figs. 2-3';

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of an exempliiication ofthe horizon projector and the main projector, and; of their mounting andadjustment arrangements;

Fig. 7 is a right-handlend elevational view ofthe mechanisms. of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a top plan View thereof;

Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are schematic top perspective views of the mainprojector transparency translation shifting arrangement;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view, partly schematic, illustrating the modeof translational shifting of the main projector transparency componentof the mechanism, i1 various positions of adjustment;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary Vertical sectional view through a light sourcecomponent of the main projector mechanism, having in associationtherewith a partial schematic diagram of the control system for thelight source moving mechanism;

- Fig. 14 is a fragmentary side elevation, of the optionally usuableautorotation projection component of the machine;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary diagrammatic illustration of the range of pitchadjustments of the component of Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is an enlarged view of a detail of Fig. 14;

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary section taken along line XVII-XVII of Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 is a plan view, on slightly smaller scale, of the mechanism ofFig. 16;

Fig. 19 is a section taken along line XIX-XIX of Fig. 14 and showing themode of lateral positional adjustment of the transparency component;

Fig. 20 is an enlarged scale fragmentary view taken along line XX-XX ofFig. 19;

Fig. 21 is a top plan of the light sourcemechanism of Fig. 20;

Fig. 22 is a fragmentary side elevational View of an accessory cuedevice of the mechanism of the invention;

Fig. 23 is a schematic perspective view of typical pilotmanipulatablecontrols for the system;

Fig. 24 is a combination physical and schematic illustration ofaccessory control components for the mechanism; and

Figs. 25a and 25b compositely illustrate, schematically, anexemplication of the power supply and electrical controls of the system.

Generally stated, the principal components of the apparatusk of theinvention may be said to include a projection system comprising a screenand either a single or multiple unit projector apparatus; a studentpilot cockpit; and a computer mechanism. The projectors and associatedscreen present to the pilot a visual picture of a simulated surroundingterrain, and the illusion of motions of the helicopter relative theretoas are actually produced by motions of the light sources relative to thetransparencies, and/or of the transparencies relative to the screen. Thecockpit component preferably comprises a true-size mock-up or otherwiserealistic cockpit structure with standard controls and instruments. Thecomputer component receives electrical signals from the pilots controls,and from an instructors control station, and introduces them into theequations o f motion of the helicopter and thereupon provides outputsignals which are transmitted to the projector control motors therebyaltering the terrain simulation on the screen as viewed by the studentpilot in such manner as to simulate scenery appearance changes such aswould occur if the helicopter cockpit were in flight and responsive tosimilar control activity. A manual stand-by control station ispreferably also provided as an accessory to the computer, to permitdirect manual control of the motors actuating the light source andtransparency movements in event of failure of the computer tosatisfactorily perform.

Studies of the projection problem revealed that the projector lightsource and transparency units must be so positioned relative to thepilot location that his normal iield of vision is not disturbed, andthat he should be provided with a horizontal angular projected scenerycoverage substantially greater than Furthermore, the level ofillumination should be adequate for simulation of ying by daylight, andthe apparent distance between the cockpit and the terrain simulation onthe screen should be as great as practicable.

Obviously, the scenery presentation on the screen must be in reasonablycorrect perspective when viewed from any point in the simulated yingarea, and errors therein would not be tolerable if they createdincorrect cues such as might condition the student pilot to subsequentlyfall into dangerous situations when in real Hight. A study of the smalldiameter light source projecting method in this instance revealed thatpreferably a plurality of projector units would be employed. Forexample, at least one light source and transparency of vertical Wallform would be employed for projecting simultations of distant sceneryand horizon references; while one or more vertically spaced units havingtransparencies of horizontal wall form would be employed for projecting,in proper perspective, the nearby as well as background and intermediatescenery simulations, as may be required for in connection with hoveringand/or flight training activities at different altitudes. Sinceautorotative landing procedures start at altitudes of the order of 500feet, and the learning of proper hovering techniques is most difiicultwhen close to the ground and under 50 foot altitudes, the apparatus ofthe invention as illustrated herein includes a main or hoveringprojector and a supplementary autorotation projection unit, capable ofproper simulations of the same terrain at their respective altitudesThus, as shown in the drawings herewith, and referring initially to Fig.l of the drawing, an over-all arrangement embodying the invention maycomprise major cornponents including horzon, main, and autorotativeprojectors indicated generally at P1, P2 and P3, respectively; a studentpilot cockpit designated generally at 26; a partispherical screendesignated 27; a computer mechanism designated 28; and an instructorsstation designated 29. The instructors station includes a manual controlboard for manual introduction by the instructor of external influences,resulting in computer output irnpulses actuating the motors controllingthe projectors so as to modify the simulated scene on the screen,whereby the student may be trained to counteract external flightdisturbing influences, such as wind gusts, uncalled-for engine speedchanges, or the like.

The primary input signals to the computer are functions of movements ofthe pilot controls in the cockpit. Thus, the computer introduces thesecontrol position signals, along with variousv preset data indicatingchanges in wind velocity and direction, loading conditions, airtemperature, etc., into theV flight equations for the type helicopterfor which the student is being trained, and produces output signalscorresponding to the motions such helicopter would experience whensubjected to similar control activity. More specifically, these outputsignals control the six motions of the projection system, as will beexplained in more detail hereinafter. In addition,

